釋氏稽古略 4.253

4.253

The Continued Lamp Record: In autumn, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Chan Master Foguo of Fayun Monastery in Bianjing, named Weibai, compiled the encounters and teachings of the masters of the Chan lineage into the Continued Lamp Record in thirty fascicles and presented it to the throne. The Emperor personally composed a preface to bestow upon it. The text read: "Anciently, when the Śākyamuni Tathāgata appeared in the world, he received the prophecy from Dīpaṃkara Buddha. Born into the royal house of Śuddhodana, he pointed one hand to heaven and the other to earth, and his dynamic capacity was already disclosed. Strolling through the city gates, he observed old age and death, and the illusory conditions were suddenly stilled. When he proclaimed the Way at the Deer Park and spread fragrance at Vulture Peak, boundless buddha-fields were manifested at the tip of a single hair, and sūtra scrolls of the chiliocosm all emerged from within a single mote of dust. Westward it covered the land of India; eastward it flowed into China. Inscribed upon bound leaves, the holy teachings of a whole period were transmitted by Ānanda; holding up a flower and smiling, the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye was entrusted solely to Mahākāśyapa. Since Bodhidharma came from the west, he was indeed the First Patriarch; its transmission proceeded through four times seven [Indian masters] and two times three [Chinese masters] down to Caoxi. Thereupon, the Way of the Twin Trees grew ever more radiant, and the current of the single drop spread ever wider. From Nanyue and Qingyuan downward, it divided into five lineages, each prevailing in its own style. Responding to capacities and exchanging questions and answers, though their establishments differed, their ultimate return was one; without exception, their arrowheads met point to point and their whip shadows fell simultaneously, transforming beings and benefiting living creatures, inspiring countless awakenings. The streams and lineages spread broadly, and the branches and leaves flourished profusely; thus the two lineages of Linji and Yunmen flourished uniquely throughout the empire. I have received the precious mandate of Heaven and succeeded to the great succession of the realm. Reverently I reflect that the dynastic Founder opened the gate of deliverance throughout the boundless realm; Taizong elucidated the secret meaning across the entire world; Zhenzong compiled the Transmission of the Lamp in the Jingde reign era; and Renzong expanded the Extended Lamp Record in the Tiansheng reign era. All broadly expounded the true tradition and assisted the divine transformation to accomplish the governance of non-action. My august deceased father, Shenzong, especially turned toward the school of Emptiness. In the third year of the Yuanfeng reign era, an imperial decree ordered the founding of two great Chan monasteries at Da Xiangguo Monastery: opening Huilin in the eastern gallery and establishing Zhihai in the western colonnade. In the renxu year, upon the petition of the Grand Princess of Yue and Zhang Dunli, Regional Governor-Observation Commissioner of the Jiqing Army and Imperial Son-in-law Commandant, the Fayun Chan Monastery was additionally established south of the capital. Thereupon, the patriarchal seats shone brilliantly, the monastic groves flourished exceedingly, and those throughout the empire who donned the square robes and longed for the joy of Chan gathered like clouds in the superior capital. Now Dunli, because the abbot of this monastery, Chan Master Foguo Weibai, has investigated the supreme vehicle and fully realized the ultimate truth, has repeatedly entered the inner palace and thrice ascended the high seat, expounding the wondrous purport to the great satisfaction of My ultimate aspirations. In antiquity, when the Capable and Benevolent One preached the Lotus Sūtra, he emitted a light from the white curl between his eyebrows, illuminating eighteen thousand worlds in the east; then Maitreya raised questions and Mañjuśrī resolved doubts, considering that the original auspicious light of the Sun-Moon-Lamp-Brightness Buddha was just like this. The one who upheld this sūtra was Dharma Master Puṇyapradīpa (Miaoguang), and the one who attained its realization was Tathāgata Samantaprabhāsa (Puming). Now, the name 'Continued Lamp' precisely derives its meaning from the lamps succeeding one another and their lights interpenetrating. Alas! The ocean of awakening of perfect realization fundamentally encompasses the ten directions, yet the empty bubbles of arising and ceasing thereupon sink and drown in the three realms of existence. Because of clarity, objects of cognition are posited; from dust, defiled intelligence is engendered; consciousness and delusive appearances perpetuate one another, revolving through the various destinies. This is truly lamentable! If one turns the light inward to illuminate oneself, revealing the true and returning to the source, then this record directly points to the school of nature and solely transmits the mind seal; it can be grasped right before one's brows, and recognized prior to words. Lifting a hand, it holds aloft the world of Abhirati; snapping fingers, it manifests the wondrous towers of ornamentation; its spiritual penetrations and wondrous functions are truly inconceivable. I rejoice in the multitude of beings forging this superior affinity, that all may leave the ford of delusion and together embark upon the road of awakening. This is My aspiration."